Adolescent Substance Abuse : An Empirical-Based Group Preventive Health Paradigm

This book not only explores the multiple forces which impact adolescents with the result of substance abuse; it goes one step further and proposes ways in which to change the broad societal norms and values regarding substance abuse. There are a number of avenues through which change can be made and Wodarski and Feit examine early in the book these societal subsystems as areas of change: developing appropriate treatment paradigms, school and peer group environments, home and family, media, community movements, and business and industry. Other practical topics and issues covered include an empirically based teaching method called Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT), a curriculum that supports student instruction in the adolescent curriculum and issues pertinent to the reduction of adolescent substance abuse.

Here is a comprehensive review of adolescent substance abuse issues and an expansive, empirically based curriculum for school-based programs to teach adolescents about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The abuse of alcohol and other drugs among young people is a problem of alarming scope and gravity. Adolescent Substance Abuse explores the multiple forces which impact adolescents and can push them toward drug and alcohol abuse.

Adolescent Substance Abuse proposes means by which to effect macro-level change in societal norms and values regarding substance abuse. The authors describes in detail an effective means of teaching adolescents about drugs and alcohol using an empirically based teaching method called Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT). TGT was developed through extensive research on games used as teaching devices. It uses small groups as classroom work units and capitalizes on peer influence by using peers as teachers and supporters. The book explains an effective curriculum which utilizes the TGT approach and provides a program for parents. The curriculum is unique in that it is anchored in empirical data and delivered via adolescent peer groups.

Adolescent Substance Abuse addresses other issues pertinent to the reduction of adolescent substance abuse by exploring subsystems of change, including school and peer group environments, home and family, the media, community movements, and business and industry. The book is a great source of innovative ideas for beginning and expert counselors, social workers, mental health professionals, school psychologists, and others who want to prevent adolescent abuse of drugs and alcohol.